Connecting means for two members in fluid conducting assembly

Abstract

A connecting means for two parts in a fluid conducting assembly. The connecting means comprises coupling means located on joint sides opposite to one another on the parts, such means rendering possible a displaceable attachment together of the parts with an interlocking effect in the assembly direction. Furthermore connecting members are provided to act on opposite sides of the parts, of which at least one connecting member, is able to be locked using holding and securing means on the pushed together parts in order to set the relative position of same. Simultaneously the setting in place of a clamping means acting on the connecting members is facilitated. The connecting means renders possible a simple, secure and rapid coupling of the parts.

Description

The invention relates to a connecting means for two parts in a fluid conducting assembly and more especially in a modularly designed means for handling compressed air, comprising holding portions located on sides opposite to one another athwart the direction of mounting of the parts, said holding portions being associated with each other in pairs when said parts are put together, and furthermore connecting members adapted to be mounted on the pairs of associated holding portions in a connecting position, said connecting members being able to be clamped by a clamping means in a clamping direction, which is athwart the said direction of mounting, against the respectively associated pairs of holding portions in order to cause the parts to be clamped together at facing joint faces thereof.THE PRIOR ARTA connecting means of this type is for example described in the European patent publication 0 261 711 A2.Same is employed to releasably join together in pairs the housing bodies of a plura...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

One object of the invention is to provide a connecting means of the type initially mentioned which may be handled more rapidly, simply the more securely.

In order to achieve these and / or other objects appearing from the present specification, claims and drawings, in the present invention coupling means are provided on the two parts on their facing joint faces, which means render possible, prior to the application of the connecting members, a coupling of the parts in such a manner that the parts may be slid in the direction of clamping in relation to one another and are simultaneously interlockingly fitted together in the direction of fitting and wherein on at least one of the connecting members and on the side facing the same of the parts holding and locking means are provided, which, when the connecting member is in the connecting position cooperate with one another in such a manner that the connecting member is held, even prior to actuation of the clamping means, on the parts and then simultaneously prevents a relative displacement of the two parts.

The coupling means provided on the members now render it possible for the members to be connected to be pre-fixed or "tacked" in place prior to clamping of the connecting members with the desired alignment. By then putting on at least one connecting member having holding and securing means, if still to hand, the relative mobility of the members in the clamping direction is terminated so that the parts are at least substantially positioned or located in the relative setting, which they also assume after actuating the clamping means. The holding means ensure that the respective connecting member will keep in the connecting position on the parts even when it is let go of. This means that, dependent on circumstances, one hand will always be free to hold the pre-fixed parts and the other hand may be employed to actuate the clamping means, the cooperating holding means then leading to the advantage of being able to hold the respective connecting member in place on putting on the clamping means. One person alone is therefore able readily in a position to put together two parts firmly, rapidly and without risk of damage. The connecting means is consequently suitable more especially for the releasable mutual locking together of the housing parts of different components of a system for handling compressed air. A further promising field of application is coupling together components of a valve arrangement, for example to group together valves or to attach same to base plates.

It is an advantage if the connecting member provided with holding and securing means is designed in the form of a locking bolt member, whose holding and securing means interlock with the holding and securing means in the connecting position athwart the clamping direction. This results more particularly in an effect, due to interlocking, preventing relative sliding between the parts to be connected.

As a rule the connecting means will possess two connecting members arranged on opposite part sides. In this respect it is an advantage if only one of such connecting members is provided with holding and securing means, such connecting member being more especially arranged on the rear side of the parts facing away from the person doing the assembly work. Owing to the lack of corresponding holding and securing means the other connecting member may be extremely simply put on the associated pair of holding portions without any particular locking motion so that there is the possibility of arranging fastening screws of the clamping means on such connecting member so that the screws cannot come out or be lost.

In the joint part between the parts to be connected a seal arrangement may be located, if the transition between flow ducts in communication with each other must be sealed off. In this case it is advantageous for at least one of the parts to be connected to be formed with a slanting face on at least one of the edge portions, of its joint face, facing in the direction of clamping, such slanting face facilitating the sliding past of the seal arrangement. The initial sliding coupling between the parts may also be simplified if the coupling means are adapted to one another in configuration so that when the interlocking connection is produced there is, prior to putting on the connecting members, a certain, small degree it of play is possible between the parts in the direction of putting on.

Problems solved by technology

A disadvantage of the known connecting means is that they are awkward to handle.

All in all this is a relatively difficult task because so many components must be held simultaneously.

However, there is still the danger that, if there is a lack of care, the parts while only preliminarily fixed in place may slide off the intermediate plate before application of the clamping means and drop onto the ground with a danger of damage.

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